Scottish Executive

Asylum Seekers

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance and funding it has made available since 1999 to voluntary and community groups and local authorities in relation to building community relations between local residents and asylum seekers and refugees and thereby facilitating social inclusion.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive’s policy is to provide funding to national organisations, while funding for groups operating locally should be decided locally.

  The Scottish Executive provided funding of £191,844 in 1999-2000, £196,356 in 2000-01, and £202,914 in 2001-02 to the Scottish Refugee Council. This is to assist the council to provide advice, support and practical help to refugees and their families in Scotland, and to fund the council’s housing policy work with local authorities, housing associations and others on the development of accommodation and support provision and the council’s own provision of housing support and advice to refugees.

  The Scottish Executive has not issued guidance on these matters.

Asylum Seekers

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance and funding it has made available since 1999 to voluntary and community groups and local authorities in relation to building community relations between local residents and refugees and asylum seekers in Glasgow and thereby facilitating social inclusion.

Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16012.

Body Piercing

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it has received to Regulation of Skin Piercing: A Consultation Paper and how it intends to progress this issue.

Malcolm Chisholm: 111 responses were received to this Consultation Paper. Analysis and consideration of the responses are now proceeding, in the light of which our proposals will be announced.

Building Control

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many penalties for non-compliance under the Building (Scotland) Act 1959 were imposed in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000.

Lewis Macdonald: Responsibility for the enforcement of building regulations lies with the local authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.

Care of Elderly People

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that its interests are represented at the EU Social Protection Committee meeting to take forward the decision of the recent Göteborg European Council that the committee should prepare an initial report for the spring 2002 European Council on health care and care for the elderly.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive will ensure that the UK representatives on the EU Social Protection Committee take account of Scottish Executive interests when they discuss the preparation of an initial report for the spring 2002 European Council on health care and care for the elderly.

Central Heating

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating units were installed under its central heating initiative in May 2001.

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many central heating units were installed under its central heating initiative in April 2001.

Jackie Baillie: We do not collect information from local authorities and housing associations on a monthly basis. The Managing Agent for the private sector has not yet been appointed. Details of the number of heating units installed by sector will be published in an annual report for each year of the central heating programme.

Central Heating

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the sources are of the £350 million funding to be invested in its central heating initiative.

Jackie Baillie: The resources required for the central heating programme will come from the social justice budget, from the private sector investment produced by stock transfer and from the energy companies under their Energy Efficiency Commitment.

Central Heating

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to reconsider any of the eligibility criteria for its central heating programme.

Jackie Baillie: It was announced last month that, because of the progress made by local authorities in installing central heating in recent years, the Scottish Executive would consider how the central heating programme might be extended.

Diabetes

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current recommended levels are for the numbers of (a) specialist diabetes consultant physicians, (b) diabetologists and (c) specialist diabetes nurses; how many of each are currently in post, and what plans it has to increase the numbers up to the recommended levels, broken down by health board.

Susan Deacon: It is a matter for health boards and trusts to assess and provide for local needs and to determine the staffing levels required for effective service delivery. National recommendations on staffing levels would cut across these responsibilities and would undermine boards’ and trusts’ ability to provide a modern, flexible service matched to local needs.

  The latest information available on the number of consultants recorded as Endocrinology and Diabetes consultants, broken down by health board area, is shown in the table. There are also general physicians who specialise in treating diabetes but who may not be recorded on that basis. Information on the number of diabetologists and specialist diabetes nurses is not collected centrally.

  Consultants identified as Endocrinology & Diabetes Consultants in NHSScotland by Health Board Area

  Headcount as at 30 September 2000p

  


Scotland 
  

19 
  



Fife 
  

1 
  



Forth Valley 
  

1 
  



Grampian 
  

1 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

4 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

3 
  



Lothian 
  

6 
  



Tayside 
  

2 
  



Western Isles 
  

1 
  



  Note:

  1. Source: Medical and Dental Census, ISD Scotland.

  2. Information as at 30 September 2000 is provisional.

Drug Enforcement Agency

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list by police force area the amount of illegal drugs seized by the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency.

Iain Gray: The following table contains estimates, by police force area, of the weights of Class A and Class B controlled drugs seized within Scotland in operations involving the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency during the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.

  


Force 
  

Class A Weight 
  

Class B Weight 
  

Ecstasy Tablets 
  


 

Kilos 
  

Thousands 
  



Dumfries & Galloway Constabulary 
  

- 
  

- 
  

10.0 
  



Central Scotland Police 
  

1.9 
  

13.0 
  

0.3 
  



Fife Constabulary 
  

0.8 
  

- 
  

- 
  



Grampian Police 
  

1.6 
  

- 
  

5.0 
  



Lothian & Borders Police 
  

4.7 
  

177.7 
  

24.9 
  



Northern Constabulary 
  

0.5 
  

20.0 
  

- 
  



Strathclyde Police 
  

22.3 
  

139.6 
  

18.4 
  



Tayside Police 
  

3.3 
  

7.7 
  

8.0 
  



Total 
  

35.1 
  

358.0 
  

66.6 
  



  Seizures by individual forces would be additional to these amounts.

Education

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last assessed trends in the levels of recruitment and retention of staff in the higher and further education sectors.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Responsibility for recruitment and retention of staff rests with further and higher education institutions and we do not hold centrally all the data necessary to assess trends.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to determine the underlying causes of any fall in the rate of new business start-ups and whether it will instigate changes in policy to address any such trend.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The recently completed Fraser of Allander Institute review of Scottish Enterprise’s Business Birthrate Strategy (BBRS) addresses a range of issues relevant to Scotland’s business start-up rate. We shall use the report, and the consultation period now in train, to look again at what can be done to improve Scotland’s performance in this area.

Enterprise

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote the development and manufacturing of renewable energy technologies as a key driver in the Scottish economy.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Our promotion of renewable energy developments through the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) is intended to build up a Scottish renewable energy capability, as well as reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. One early result was the recent announcement of a significant inward investment from Vestas, the Danish wind turbine company, whose new manufacturing facility near Campbeltown will provide over 150 jobs in the area.

  We are also working with Scottish Enterprise to encourage Scottish companies to diversify into the manufacturing opportunities which will arise from further development of renewable energy. A series of Scottish Enterprise roadshows on the subject attracted interest from a variety of companies and, as a direct result, several of them are now pursuing opportunities for new business. We will continue to work to strengthen the renewables industry, enabling it to attract investment to Scotland and bring the newer and more expensive technologies nearer to the market.

Environment

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to progressively reduce and eliminate any radioactive contamination of the Scottish coastline caused by the nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

Rhona Brankin: Control of radioactive discharges from Sellafield is a matter for the Environment Agency and the UK Government.

Finance

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any agricultural projects will be abandoned or reduced as a result of the recent budget announcement and, if so, which specific projects will be affected.

Ross Finnie: The impact of the budget announcement on planned agricultural and other rural development and environment spending is set out in the reply to question S1W-16765.

Finance

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any justice projects will be abandoned or reduced as a result of the recent budget announcement and, if so, which specific projects will be affected.

Mr Jim Wallace: There will be no projects abandoned or reduced following the announcement of savings on the justice budget.

Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the health level 3 budget the savings of £55 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.

Susan Deacon: The resources realigned from within the health budget to support the implementation of free personal care will come from revenue and capital resources not yet allocated to NHSScotland. The planned allocations to NHSScotland which have already been announced will be unaffected.

Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the transport level 3 budget the savings of £30 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.

Sarah Boyack: The adjustments to help fund wider Executive priorities are set out in the following table. The SPT adjustment will bring provision in line with payments due under the franchise and is not expected to affect operations and services. The other adjustments will be among the factors that will affect when individual projects are delivered.

  


Programme 
  

2002-03 
  

2003-04 
  



£ million 
  

£ million 
  



Motorways and Trunk Roads 
  

5 
  

10 
  



Strathclyde Passenger Transport 
  

5 
  

5 
  



Integrated Transport Fund 
  

Nil 
  

5

Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the social justice level 3 budget the savings of £35 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.

Jackie Baillie: The key changes relate to the housing programmes. I have provided details on what we expect to spend on social justice commitments, in both cash and real terms, in answer to question S1W-16746. Level 3 information will be published once we receive final agreement to end year flexibility. These changes will still allow us to meet all our existing commitments and targets and also address additional housing budget pressures.

Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the environment and rural development level 3 budget the savings of £21.3 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.

Ross Finnie: The detail of the proposed savings is shown in the following table.

  


Programme Level 2/3 
  

2001-02 Budget
Plans 
  

2002-03
Changes
(Revised Plans) 
  

2003-04
Changes
(Revised Plans) 
  


 

£ million 
  

£ million 
  

£ million 
  



Rural Development 
  



a. Rural Partnership Fund 
  


4.173 
  

-0.100
(4.073) 
  

-0.200
(3.973) 
  



b. Crofting Grants 
  


4.762 
  

-0.600
(4.562) 
  

-0.600
(4.562) 
  



c. Farm Waste Grants 
  


0.660 
  

-0.200
(1.800) 
  

-0.200
(1.800) 
  



Agricultural and Biological Science etc. 
  



a. Pensions 
  


13.389 
  

-0.100
(14.638) 
  

-0.500
(14.622) 
  



b. SABRIs Capital. 
  


6.312 
  

-1.000
(5.312) 
  

-1.000
(5.312) 
  



Fisheries 
  



a. Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency Capital 
  


0.305 
  

-3.400
(0.305) 
  

-3.400
(0.305) 
  



Water 
  



a. 
  


433.3 
  

Nil
(459.0) 
  

-10.000
( 479.7) 
  



Total Savings: 
  

Nil 
  

-5.400 
  

-15.900 
  



  The revised plans for the range of Rural Development grant schemes and for Pensions shown in the table reflect estimating changes in the light of outturn in previous years.

  While the revised plans for SABRIs capital will require the bodies to be more efficient in their use of capital resources, planned provision in 2002-03 and 2003-04 remains over £2 million a year higher than in 2000-01. Also, plans to increase current support for the SABRIs by £2 million and £3 million in 2002-03 and 2003-04 respectively are unchanged.

  Some £3.4 million a year was added to the capital Budget of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency for 2002-03 and 2003-04 in the 2000 Spending Review, to provide for the replacement of a Fishery Protection Vessel. While this provision has been removed from the baseline, I would expect to be able to fund construction of the new vessel from carry forward of end year flexibility entitlements.

  The merger of the three existing water authorities will help secure a wide range of efficiency savings in our water industry. At the same time the Water Industry Commissioner will be setting demanding operating and capital efficiency targets for the new authority ensuring the public receives a first class service. We are confident that the small saving identified will not prevent the necessary investment of £2.2 billion (as identified in the Water Quality and Standards: 2002 to 2006: Consultation Paper) from being delivered over the period.

  Detailed spending plans for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be subject, in due course, to the usual consultation and parliamentary approval procedures.

Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the 21 st Century Government level 3 budget the savings of £15 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.

Angus MacKay: This money was unallocated. The savings will have no effect on other programmes. Ministers may still choose to fund future initiatives on 21 st Century Government from other sources, such as Capital Modernisation Fund consequentials.

Finance

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive where in the local government level 3 budget the savings of £7 million planned for 2002-03 and 2003-04 will be made and what effect these savings will have on programmes funded by this budget.

Angus MacKay: The £7 million reduction represents the release of provision to cover non-domestic rating appeals which is no longer needed. This release of provision will have no effect on programmes funded by this budget.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is currently given to farmers on premises affected by foot-and-mouth disease classified as List A and List D in relation to restocking.

Ross Finnie: An Information Note giving farmers general guidance on the requirements which need to be met before restocking can take place has been issued to all farmers who have had their animals culled as part of the foot-and-mouth disease eradication programme. It describes the options available to meet a wide range of circumstances and the timing involved in each case.

Further Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to carry out a national funding review of further education colleges.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The funding of individual colleges of further education is a matter for the Scottish Further Education Funding Council. The funding of the further education sector in Scotland is kept under constant review by the council.

  The Enterprise & Lifelong Learning Committee of the Parliament has also indicated its intention to inquire into the need for a long-term, comprehensive strategy for continuing post-compulsory education and training in Scotland, including considering the effectiveness and relevance of current funding mechanisms and levels in meeting Scotland’s economic and social needs.

Justice

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what files it, its Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies hold on Mr Peter Cherbi and whether it will disclose the contents of these files to him.

Mr Jim Wallace: In accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, any information on whether or not files are held on Mr Cherbi and, if they are, whether contents would be disclosed, would need to be considered in response to a subject access request submitted by Mr Cherbi.

Justice

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make funding available for the upgrade of long established CCTV operations throughout Scotland.

Iain Gray: Since 1996, the Scottish Executive has provided Challenge Competition funding for CCTV in excess of £10 million to over 160 projects throughout Scotland. Whilst priority has been given to the installation of new camera systems, a number of projects involving the upgrade and extension to existing systems have been successful in the competition. We are reviewing our current funding arrangements for both our CCTV and Community Safety Challenge Competitions for 2002-03 and I will make an announcement in due course.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action will be taken to address the situation highlighted in the Scottish Local Government Information Unit’s publication, Scotland’s Councillors , where it is reported that 70% of councillors require more information about the impact of the Scottish Parliament on local government.

Peter Peacock: This is a matter for the Parliament to take forward together with COSLA and local authorities. The Covenant between the Parliament and local government and the proposed Standing Conference, both currently under discussion, will address this issue.

Mental Health

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken research, or will consider undertaking research, into any relationship between social exclusion and mental health.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Executive Health Department is currently funding three research projects relevant to the relationship between social exclusion and mental health. Details of these are available from the National Research Register (NRR), a copy of which is in the Parliament’s reference centre.

  CSO would be pleased to consider funding further research proposals into the relationship between social exclusion and mental health, which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

  In addition, the Scottish Executive funds the Scottish Health Survey and contributes to surveys carried out by the Office for National Statistics, which provide information about the relationship between psychiatric morbidity and a range of indicators of socio-economic status.

Nursing and Midwifery

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the resources available for continuous professional development for qualified nurses and midwives.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive Health Department has recognised the crucial importance of ongoing education for all staff in NHSScotland through its strategy for education, training and lifelong learning entitled Learning Together .

  The prime responsibility for continuous professional development lies with employers and it is for them to organise their priorities and resources to meet the needs of their staff.

  Support and co-ordination of this activity is currently provided by the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland and will continue and develop under the new special health board being created to provide an overarching education and training body for health care staff.

Nursing and Midwifery

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to enable more qualified nurses and midwives to take time off for continuous professional development.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive Health Department has recognised the crucial importance of ongoing education for all staff in NHSScotland through its strategy for education, training and lifelong learning entitled Learning Together .

  The Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery in Scotland, Caring for Scotland, published in March 2001 reinforces this through specific actions on meeting the provision of support and opportunities for nurses and midwives in meeting their CPD needs and requirements.

Nursing and Midwifery

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the pay of nurses and midwives is currently in line with pay levels of comparable public sector workers and, if not, what long-term plans it has to bring it into line.

Susan Deacon: Pay increases for nurses and midwives are recommended annually by the independent Nurses Pay Review Body (NPRB) who take into account the full range of issues which can affect the remuneration of their remit group.

Opencast Mines

Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any of its officials have met representatives of opencast mining interests to discuss the application of the draft Edinburgh and the Lothians structure plan to areas of search for opencast coal.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has met with the Confederation of United Kingdom Coal Producers on a number of occasions over the past few months to discuss issues such as the position of opencast coal in the current review of strategic planning and the impact of revised national planning guidance on the industry. At all these meetings, the Executive made clear that it was not prepared to discuss the Edinburgh and the Lothians structure plan or other specific proposals.

Planning

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to give local communities greater rights of consultation when local authorities change the planning designation of land which they own.

Lewis Macdonald: No. The Scottish Executive has no such plans. Planning authorities are already required to advertise any potential departures from an approved development plan.

  We will, however, be consulting later in the summer on measures to secure more effective public involvement in the planning process.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints of staff bullying have been lodged against the management of the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock since it opened.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16640.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask the Chief Inspector of Prisons to investigate the management and practices of the health centre at HM Prison Kilmarnock.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive sees no need to do so. Inspections are a matter for the HMCIP himself who conducted a full inspection of HM Prison Kilmarnock on 20-30 March 2000 and an intermediate inspection on 5-7 and 12 March 2001.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or proposes to take, so that a rail station is created at Edinburgh Park.

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take regarding creation of a rail station at Edinburgh Park and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish ministers issued an Intentions Letter on 12 July 2001 indicating their intention to grant permission for business development at Edinburgh Park subject to an appropriate planning agreement. Among other things, the agreement will require an area of land to be provided for Edinburgh Park Rail Station. In addition, the new rail station should be constructed and be fully operational prior to the occupancy of any floorspace above 209,000m² for the whole of Edinburgh Park.

Recycling

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its policies are on enhancing the use of recycled paper for office stationery, publications and documents by its core and associated departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive is committed to a policy of purchasing recycled paper for general use and will carry out a review of options for Scottish Executive publications this year. The Executive is inviting all associated departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to adopt a greening Government policy. These policies will encourage the use of recycled materials, including paper.

Recycling

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the usage of recycled materials for office stationery, documents and publications by its core and associated departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies and, if so, how.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive monitors the usage of recycled materials through its existing stationery procurement and service contracts. The Executive does not record the use of recycled materials by other bodies other than where the materials are purchased through central contracts. The Executive is expecting all associated departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to adopt a greening Government policy. Monitoring and reporting arrangements will be considered in this context.

Recycling

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last issued guidance or directions on the use of recycled paper, both internally and to its core and associated departments, agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

Angus MacKay: The greening Government policy, which includes guidance on the use of recycled paper, was launched 18 November 1998. This policy was promoted to staff and placed on the Scottish Executive’s website. The Executive is currently finalising revised guidance which will be issued this summer. The Executive is also inviting all associated departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to adopt greening Government policies. These policies should encourage the use of recycled materials, including paper.

Renewable Energy

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy on the development of renewable energy generation in the Highlands is compatible with the use of this area for training with low-flying military aircraft.

Rhona Brankin: The increasing deployment of renewable energy systems, notably wind turbines, does have implications for low-flying aircraft, and, as has always been the case, every proposal for a wind farm is considered by the Ministry of Defence, as a statutory planning consultee, on a case-by-case basis. We are in touch with the Ministry and other departments on the issue of low flying to clarify the issues involved. In the meantime, I would expect wind farm developers to engage in early dialogue with the MoD in order to resolve any potential problems.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the costs involved in launching and distributing its consultation document Rivers, Lochs, Coasts: The Future for Scotland’s Waters .

Rhona Brankin: The cost of designing, printing and distributing 2,500 copies of the consultation paper was in the region of £9,000.

Scottish Executive Staff

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to inform its employees of their rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Angus MacKay: Paragraphs 8 and 9 of section A11.14 of the Scottish Executive Staff Handbook set out procedures which staff should follow if they feel they are being treated in a way which:

  
is illegal, improper or unethical;
is in breach of a constitutional convention or a professional 
  code;
may involve possible maladministration, or
is otherwise inconsistent with the Civil Service Code;


  All Scottish Executive staff have access to the Staff Handbook.

  Members of staff may seek assistance and advice from their Trade Union representative at any time.

Scottish Executive Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent staff (a) it and (b) each of the public bodies for which it is responsible employs in media and public relations functions.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Media and Communications professional staff in the Scottish Executive are as follows:

  Campaign and Publications Press Office

  1 x Senior Civil Service Grade (5) 1 x Senior Civil Service Grade

  1 x Media and Communications Manager 2 x Depute Head of News

  2 x Senior Communications Officers 5 x Chief Press Officers

  11 x Senior Information Officers

  9 x Information Officers

  10 x Assistant Information Officers

  News Website Crown Office

  1 x News Website Editor 2 x Senior Information Officers

  1 x Deputy News Website Editor 1 x Assistant Information Officer

  The figures for the public bodies funded by the Scottish Executive are not held centrally.

Social Justice

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in promoting social inclusion in rural areas.

Rhona Brankin: Through our Social Justice Strategy, we are already delivering a range of polices and programmes which will build strong and inclusive communities throughout Scotland, in both rural and urban settings. We have acknowledged that we need to improve our understanding of rural social exclusion in Scotland, and established the rural poverty and inclusion working group with a remit to investigate and recommend ways of achieving this, including ensuring that existing indicators are appropriately developed for, and measurable in rural areas, and to recommend ways of promoting social inclusion in rural areas. The group has now concluded its work and I look forward to receiving its report shortly.

Special Advisers

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide the names of the special advisers to the First Minister and the Scottish Executive and set out the costs of their individual and collective employment.

Henry McLeish: There are currently 11 Special Advisers employed in the Scottish Executive. They are:

  Dr Colin Currie

  Sam Ghibaldan

  Fiona Hamilton

  Bill Heaney

  Tom Little

  Prof. Duncan Maclennan

  John McLaren

  Peter MacMahon

  Polly McPherson

  John McTernan

  Andy Rowe.

  As explained by my predecessor Donald Dewar in response to a previous question on 22 November 1999 (S1W-2650), individual salaries are not revealed in order to protect the privacy of the individual. However, the estimated annual salary cost for the current advisers is:

  


Salary 
  

ERNIC1


Pension Contribution2




£602,528 
  

£64,169 
  

£91,313 
  



  Notes:

  1. ERNIC = Employer’s Related National Insurance Contributions.

  2. A 16% contribution towards personal pension, which is part of the Special Advisers’ contract.

Special Advisers

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many special advisers with responsibility for contact with the press, or with permission to brief the press on behalf of the First Minister, were employed as of (a) 1 February 2001, (b) 1 October 2000 and (c) 1 July 1999.

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total salary, office and associated costs were for special advisers who act as press and information officers, or who are permitted to contact the press on behalf of the First Minister, as of (a) 1 February 2001, (b) 1 October 2000 and (c) 1 July 1999.

Henry McLeish: The total estimated annual salary, office and associated costs for the media team of Special Advisers in the Scottish Executive for the dates in question is:

  


Date 
  

No of Advisers 
  

Salary 
  

ERNIC 
  

Pension Contribution 
  

Office & Associated Costs 
  



1 February 2001** 
  

5 
  

£305,008 
  

£34,539 
  

£48,801 
  

£14,403 
  



1 October 2000 
  

4 
  

£203,300 
  

£22,665 
  

£35,528 
  

£13,263 
  



  On 1 July 1999 there was one media adviser who was paid in special adviser salary range 3 (currently £42,755 - £85,047). A specific figure is not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individual.

Tourism

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to alleviate any financial difficulties being experienced by the network of privately owned hostels in the Highlands and Islands as a result of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Tourism businesses received substantial aid from the £13.5 million package of emergency relief announced on 28 March. We hope to make an announcement shortly about a strategy for addressing the medium and longer term effects of foot-and-mouth disease on tourism.

Tourism

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the comparative strength of the pound is undermining the competitiveness of Scottish tourism and, if so, what role local economic development policies have in countering this.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The value of sterling is only one of a number of factors that may be taken into account by potential visitors to Scotland. The Executive’s National Tourism Strategy , published in February 2000, contains actions that will increase Scotland’s competitiveness as a tourism destination. The effectiveness of these actions is currently being assessed.